cannot resolve symbol 'java.time.LocalDate' error in android studio

Question

I am trying to use java.time.LocalDate in my android app, however if I try to import it, then any class from java.time gives a cannot resolve symbol error in Android studio 1.1

The only reason I could figure out for this is that it doesn't support java 8. Is that really the case?

Answer 1

Android API level 26

Android API level 26 gained an implementation of java.time including your LocalDate class.

Earlier Android

For Android <26, alternatives include:

• ThreeTen-Backport is a back-port of much of the java.time functionality to Java 6 & 7.
  • ThreeTenABP adapts ThreeTen-Backport to Android.
• Joda-Time is commonly used in Android projects. Joda-Time inspired the java.time package in Java 8, but they are not drop-in replacements. The Joda-Time team advises migration to java.time.

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About java.time

The java.time framework is built into Java 8 and later. These classes supplant the troublesome old legacy date-time classes such as java.util.Date , Calendar , & SimpleDateFormat .

The Joda-Time project, now in maintenance mode , advises migration to the java.time classes.

To learn more, see the Oracle Tutorial . And search Stack Overflow for many examples and explanations. Specification is JSR 310 .

You may exchange java.time objects directly with your database. Use a JDBC driver compliant with JDBC 4.2 or later. No need for strings, no need for java.sql.* classes.

Where to obtain the java.time classes?

• Java SE 8 , Java SE 9 , Java SE 10 , and later
  • Built-in.
  • Part of the standard Java API with a bundled implementation.
  • Java 9 adds some minor features and fixes.
• Java SE 6 and Java SE 7
  • Much of the java.time functionality is back-ported to Java 6 & 7 in ThreeTen-Backport .
• Android
  • Later versions of Android bundle implementations of the java.time classes.
  • For earlier Android (<26), the ThreeTenABP project adapts ThreeTen-Backport (mentioned above). See How to use ThreeTenABP… .

Answer 2

Yes, Android does not support Java-8. And about the new date/time-API contained in Java-8, you can look at this issue:

http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=62192

Currently there are no plans to introduce JSR-310 (java.time-package) in Google Android.

Answer 3

Finally date/time-API contained in Java 8 is added to Android API level 26 which was recently released.

DateTimeFormatter API 26

Answer 4

You can now use java.time APIs and other Java 8+ APIs without requiring a minimum API level for your app thank to API desugaring support (Android Gradle Plugin 4.0.0+)

https://developer.android.com/studio/write/java8-support#library-desugaring

Briefly, you have to use Android Gradle plugin 4.0.0 or higher and include the coreLibraryDesugaringEnabled true in your compileOptions

android {
  defaultConfig {
    // Required when setting minSdkVersion to 20 or lower
    multiDexEnabled true
  }

  compileOptions {
    // Flag to enable support for the new language APIs
    coreLibraryDesugaringEnabled true
    // Sets Java compatibility to Java 8
    sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
    targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
  }
}